The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-02-02

duced it in the Island. But ask in all good
faith, how long did 1t continue to be The lAhe
guage Of the land. and did 1t ever reach the
questions are very evident. Welsh says in
his work on English literature that the Nor
mans excelled the Saxons In manners. In
taste, in intellectual culture, and implements
graceful, talkative, dainty and sapeffciat.
AS a rule. the SaXons were the reverse. They
were thinkers. not takers. and thinking men
always have ruled the world. -. ..
President Shepherd, OF the College in Char.
lesion. says OF the Normans: "Tbelr language
was adapted to light literature, to romance,
e ne heDy and SfSfnsa e GnK e No@
Welsh raises the question: what is to be-
come of this refined, aristocratic literature
wht n grated on the old Anglo.Saxon stock7"
parte, so may IL he said Of the Normans
French, It rose. reisned and fell, and great
was tie fall of II.
Now for our proof. William Duke OF Nor.
mandy having won the battle OF Hastings In
the year 1866 endeavored to overthrow the
Saxon dialect. He wished tn establish the
French in the conquered land, And to this
schools should be taught the French Ian
guase. He also made 1t the language Of the
courts.
Lawyers had to plead It Mt the bar OF JUS
tlcc. All wills, deeds and titles were written
In 1t. The higher circles OF society spoke II,
hut ut the same time, in spite or all rovai
threats and kingly commands, the great mass
native tongue. They elung to it as to tleir
lives-they preserved 1t as sacred right and
to overthrow IL WAS not In the power Of a
The people TIER for
kings and mobiles were compelled to learn the
Saxon language SO greatly despised and con-
demned only short while before, and 1852
the Saxon-then converie ed into English-be-
coJ nj a nf la
1t superseded the French In the courts. Re-
fined society used II, and we are told that poets
employed it as the vehicle Of their choicest
thoughts: So, MS we have said. tn. sway OF
Norman-Frenchw was very brief-less than three
centuries. But 1t may be claimed that the
conversion of the Saxon into English was
result of the conquest. This we deny on the
change In the termination Of words and tha
introduction OF propositions are to be attr!-
buted rather to the natural efforts of the peo-
pie to simplify their grammar 1. than to the
reasonable es well as probable because all
other languages have undergone various
chang Greek OF to-day IL not the Greek
in all It's forms, like the Latin OF Cicero's day,
and 50 OF all the different dialects, and who
Will say that siinplitication has not been tho
one great cause OF all these changes?
We will now give you few quotations from
men whose Judgment substantiates what I
have said In regard to the ruling element In
the language and literature OF England.
Washington Irving says "There Is little OF
romance In the Englishman, but, like the
Saxon, there is great deal OF strong feel.
Ing" a.c-
Welsh says: The Saxon element in tie
Engiishman makes him the n,atter-of-faet
tusiness.like, thoughtful man that he Is.
Marsh says: 1--WE can say with confidence
that the Saxon has the highest power Of
speech, power Of varied expression on ell In
tellectual and moral topics" Again the
same writer says. "Those English dramatfsts
and poets who have most clearly revealed the
heart and have thrown most light Into the
deep abyss of the human soul, have employ
ed diction comprised In the greatest Inea-
sure Of words which have descended from!
Green says: In thirty thousand lines OF
poetry written during the 18th century nos
more than 50 pure Norman-French words can
be found in them"
Looking mt such facts as these. truly may
we say the fires lighted in England by the
SaXons have never burned out. The streams
started by them are still sending forth their
pure waters, and will continue until they fill
the entire realm. The influence set in motion
by them Is still eXerting It's power In the Gus.
TOMS ha' its, Institutions. laws. language and
literature, not only In England but 1t crosses
the ocean and Is felt In America and even In
every land where waves the British hag ana
the English tongue is spoken. Great meR
both In England America, proud ofthe Saxon
blood which courses their veins say. owing
to the adaptability or the Saxon language 70
every kind Of expression, 1t will one day be
the dialect Of the civilized world.